Reckoning
by Liquid Ink
Summary: Gina's happiness falls victim to an ancient evil that has made its way into the modern world with devasting consequences and an even more diabolical plan. Her crime? The man she married... And the bloodline that she would continue.


**Reckoning**

The characters from the movie are not mine and I use them without permission. I make no money from this writing, it it entirely for my own enjoyment and hopefully yours.

Chapter One.

The plane roared its way across the night sky, leaving the United States behind it. Inside it was warm and slightly muggy. The cabin was filled with the sounds of quietly murmured conversation and the occasional snore. Having served the first round of drinks, the cabin crew had retreated to their niche at the rear of the plane.

Gina could practically hear the cabin crew gossiping about her behind the curtain. Snatches of speculation drifted across her ears.

"...wife beater..."

"...maybe mugged?"

"...not too small for a stunt woman."

Normally she would have found some humour in what she was hearing but right now she could feel nothing except a vast cold that shielded her from the horror that her life had become. Wanting a little bit of oblivion, she closed her eyes and tried to get comfortable in her chair but her cracked ribs prevented her from dozing off. She kept them closed anyway so she couldn't see the shocked and curious stares that her battered face was garnering from the other passengers.

She managed to remain undisturbed for the entire six hour flight and only opened her eyes again when the captain announced their approach to Heathrow. She clicked the belt closed just as the fasten seatbelt sign chimed to life and gazed out the window.

London.

She knew that she would have gone back, but she had never imagined that it would be under these circumstances. She wondered if she should have called ahead and then dismissed that thought. It was going to be hard enough explaining what had happened in person, on the phone was just impossible. She only hoped that he was home and not gallivanting around Europe somewhere.

A hard bump and the screech of tortured rubber as the plane touched tarmac jolted her from her thoughts. She patiently waited in her seat as the rest of the passengers stirred, hunted for dropped items and rooted in overhead compartments for their carry-ons. She watched as they shuffled through the aisle and out the door. Only when the plane was nearly empty did she rise stiffly and make her way off, using the cane that the emergency room had given to her. The stewardess waiting at the door gave her a bright but brittle smile and not look her in the eye. She didn't blame her.

Since she had brought no luggage, she quickly cleared customs and soon found herself on the pavement, looking for a taxi. Her lack of bags made her unpopular prospect for tips so it took a while for one to finally stop next to her. She carefully slid onto the back seat and gave the driver her instructions.

"That's quite a way lady, are you sure you don't want to take the train?"

"No. I assure you you will be well compensated for not being available for other jobs this evening. If you do not wish to take me, I can get out here."

"Nah, I can do it. It'll be a few hours and probably a coulpla hundred quid though."

"That's fine. Can we go?"

The taxi pulled off into traffic and she watched the city lights flash by. It had rained earlier and everything looked clean and new. She watched a couple cross the road hand in hand and her jealousy tasted like ashes in her mouth. Closing her eyes again, she managed to doze as the taxi exited the city and made its way into the countryside.

Ned watched as his passenger dropped off in the rear-view mirror and took advantage of the quite road to study her quickly. He saw a tall dark haired woman, probably in her early thirties although the spectacular bruising on her jawbone and around her eyes made it a little hard to tell for sure. Turning his attention back to the road, he carried on driving into the darkness.

Three hours later the taxi turned into a wide gravel lined driveway that led up to a large and stately building. In the wash of the headlights, Gina could make out the name plaque on the entrance:

Blybrook Manor.

Ned offered to wait until she was inside but she paid him and watched the red glow of the tail lights fade into the dark. Only when she could no longer see their sullen glow did she turn and walk up the few stairs to the large front door. Rapping with the gargoyle shaped knocker she waited for someone to come. The door opened and a middle aged man in a butlers uniform peered out.

"Yes?"

"Is Lord Benjamin at home?"

"Yes ma'am, please come in."

He held the door wider and she crossed into a large entrance hall.

"Whom may I say is calling?"

"Gina, just tell him Gina is here."

The butler vanished into the house and she waited to see if she would be seen or if she was going to be shown the door.

"Should have kept the taxi." she mumbled to herself.

Footsteps alerted her to the return of the butler and she turned to face him, but it wasn't the butler, it was Ben.

"Gina?"

I'm sorry." she whispered. "I didn't know where else to go."

"What happened to you? Why are you here? Where's Michael?"

She tried to start talking but her pain overwhelmed her and her grief stole her voice. Mouth working in soundless pain, she held out her hands to him and as he took them, her voice returned in a series of harsh sobs that filled the entrance hall.


End file.
